Thursday, October 21, 2010

Playing sports benefits your child by giving him the exercise he needs while developing his mind-body coordination and social skills. However, to prevent physical injuries, you must ensure his safety by following these tips:

Make sure that your child is wearing the proper helmet or head gear for the specific sport/activity he engages in.

In choosing bike helmets, see to it that it bears the sticker of assurance on meeting the safety standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

To determine the best helmet for your kid. Look at how it fits his head. The perfect choice should be just right, not too big nor too small that it either tips forward or backward.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Weighttraining is one of the best means for successful weight loss. However, before you start hammering yourself to keep up with the routine, make sure that you have your doctor's go signal first. Have him give you a thorough check up to determine if you have any underlying health condition. Only when he tells you that you're cleared can you push through with incorporating weighttraining in your regular routine. As you get started, do so on the right foot by taking note of these pointers:

Keep your body on the move even if not exercising.
Based on studies, obese and overweight individuals are less inclined to move around during daily activities. Whether this resulted from the excess weight they carry or the other way around, truth be known that this could suck them into adopting a sedentary lifestyle for an indeterminable period. To best ensure their weight loss success, experts advise becoming more physically active throughout the day.

Do a lot of walking.
Whether you want to do it on a tredmill or just the basic way, experts advise meeting a goal of 40 minutes of brisk walking six days weekly to help up your chances of weight loss success.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Know where your calories come from.
Not all calories are created equal. Certain foods exist that require more energy for chewing, digesting, and storing. Then again, there are some that require the exact opposite. Also, not all foods affect your blood sugar in the same way. These are just some of the food facts you have to know about, so you can better regulate your daily calorie consumption. Adequate knowledge about food and calories put into practice ups your chances of staying on the right fitness track—and with this a better chance of losing weight the healthy way.

Keep the weight from coming back via regular exercise.
Slashing your calorie consumption does work to trim your weight down. However, it hardly does anything to ensure that it stays off. Only exercise works effectively in guaranteeing that the weight stays off even if you raise your calories a wee bit somewhere along the course of your diet.

Anytime is a good time for exercising if you are looking to shed some pounds or keep yourself healthy.
If you are looking to lose weight or just keep yourself healthy, exercising at any given time, provided it is convenient for you, suffices.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

If you see strength training and aerobic fitness as one and the same: exercise, then it would benefit you to learn a little bit about their respective definitions.

Strength Training:

When we speak of strength training, we speak of weightlifting. However, don't be fooled into thinking that only aspiring weightlifters should do this kind of exercise. Characterized by brief spurts of effort, strength training effectively burns off calories while developing your muscle strength. This benefit extends to help you acquire more stamina, enabling you to perform daily tasks with a considerably decreased risk of exhaustion. What's more, increased muscle mass further improves your body's calorie-burning capacity even when it's inactive. The other benefits of strength training are as follows: stronger joints, more developed bone density, better balance, posture, and stability.

Aerobic Fitness:

Walking, jogging/running, and swimming are just some of the kinds of exercises falling under the category of aerobic fitness. Technically, aerobic activity is described as a kind of rhythmic, moderate-intensity exercise that utilizes the large leg muscles. Performing them works to speed up your heart rate, hence making breathing harder. On the whole, aerobic activities are significant to healthy weight management and good health maintenance.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Weighttraining does a lot for your health, especially where fat-loss and your muscular endurance is concerned. However, being unmindful of some wrong albeit small practices could put you at risk in the long run. They are as follows:

You do not do the warm-ups. Too tired? Out of time? Regardless of whatever your reason is, remember this: there is no reason good enough to be used as an excuse for skipping warm-ups whenever you do weighttraining. Failing to follow this important rule could result to physical injuries, ranging from minor to severe. The primary purpose of warm-ups is to warm the muscles in order to keep injuries at bay.

You are not breathing properly.You might be too focused on doing your reps that you have overlooked the importance of breathing properly. Two significant pointers that you should always keep in mind: breathe properly and employ an entire range of motion as you perform each movement.

You are performing your routine way too fast. Going slowly is more advisable when you are lifting and lowering weights. If you find yourself swinging in order to lift weights, it only means that your lifting too much weight.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The disparity between the proverbial muscular physique bodybuilders are known for and that of the curvaceous softness identified with the female form is so pronounced that it comes as no surprise why myths surrounding weighttraining for women abound. But remember: these are only myths. As a follow up to a previous post discussing the fallacies behind weighttraining for women, here are three more myths debunked.

Weighttraining stiffens the body.
On the contrary, bodybuilding even promotes overall flexibility, particularly when all exercises are performed in their full range of motion. Specific exercises that are identified to stretch the muscle in the bottom range when done correctly are as follows: dumbbell presses, stiff-legged deadlifts, flyes, and chin-ups.

Weightraining enlarges the breasts.No, it doesn't. But it does expand your back size, resulting to an eventual increase in your cup size. Since breasts are composed primarily of fatty tissue, it's only through gaining fat or getting implants that they could be enlarged.

Weightraining transforms fat to muscles.Balderdash! Fat and muscle are two very different tissues. The only way you can rid your body of excess fat is through religious dieting and exercise. Weighttraining, on the other hand, promotes muscle development.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

There is no such thing as an overnight success. Selecting the right program and doing it religiously every day is what would get you through until you achieve the results you want. With this, it is a must that you include your workouts among your top priorities. Performing your routines religiously while ensuring that each one stays efficient for you are the keys to your eventual success.

You do not necessarily have to join a gym to get started on weighttraining. The only time you should consider this is when you think you have the needed confidence, time, and money to follow through with their programs. Using basic weight training equipment, start out gradually in the comfort of your own home. After some time, in order to maximize your training, you may continue your workouts in a gym.

You can't over do your training. Spending three hours in the gym only promotes overtraining,which could be far more damaging than you think it's beneficial in the long run. Intersperse ample rest time in between workouts. An hour to an hour and a half workouts three to four times weekly is ideal.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

It helps you shed the excess pounds and stay at your healthy weight.
Since your metabolism is bound to decrease speed as the years creep in, it would be harder for you to lose weight once you have started to age. However, sticking to a regular exercise routine prevents your metabolism's total slow down. Moreover, it develops your muscle mass, meaning that it would be easier for you to lose weight. Also, exercising regularly works to effectively keep you at your healthy weight, hence, keeping the excess pounds off.

It dulls the potency of illnesses while reducing your risk of acquiring serious chronic ailments.
You think you are getting too old to keep up with your exercise routine? With all these health benefits of exercise to seniors, it would be unsurprising if you decide to view things from a totally differentiated perspective: stronger immune system, a healthier heart, better bone density, healthier digestive functioning, and a well-regulated blood pressure.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

If your teen is interested in strength training, tell him that his goal should never be to bulk up. In fact, sports activities like weightlifting and bodybuilding are not advisable for his age just yet. To keep him safe, take note of these pointers:

Before you give your teen the go signal, make sure that he gets a thorough consultation with his doctor first.

Upon getting the doctor's approval, the next move would be to ensure that your teen has everything he needs. See to it that he gets the right supervision and has the proper kinds of safe equipment.

As a rule, teens should only use light weights to tone their muscles. However, they're advised to have more repetitions. Experts say this works more effectively than lifting heavy weights for only a few reps (1-2).

Kids in their pre-adolescent stages aren't advised to take up strength training to increase the bulk of their muscles. The only time this should be made part of their goal is after they've passed puberty. And even if they are already eligible for this, using the right method is still the main concern to ensure that they stay safe while doing strength training.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

If done right, the benefits of weight training go a long way. Besides ridding our bodies of that unwanted cellulite, it does a world of wonders in speeding up our metabolism while improving our total muscular endurance and natural body strength. When performed regularly as a part of our daily healthy lifestyle, we can be assured of having a tone, fit, and healthy physique. Although doing regular strength training suffices to provide proper muscle development, some people hold the idea that doing diversified multiple sets ups their benefits all the more. And does it really work?

According to Edward Lawkowski MD in his article in MayoClinic.com, there is hardly any proof backing-up this claim. Using the right weights, doing a single set of 12 repetitions could develop our strength just as effectively. To maximize our benefits, doing progressive strength training whereby we increase the amount of weights as our strength works to maximize our benefits over time. Besides employing this gradual increase in difficulty as our strength develops, it also helps if we vary the exercises time and time again. The only time doing multiple sets would benefit us is if we are looking to significantly increase our muscle mass.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

By now, you must already be aware of the significance of strength training in your regular fitness program. In performing it properly, you're assured of reaping the benefits as reflected in your total health and well-being. Basically categorized as an anaerobic activity (intended to stimulate anaerobic metabolism), there are specific methods of strength training that have become popular recently. And one of them is superslow strength training.

What is superslow strength training:
From its title alone, the superslow method is done by prolonging the time it takes to lift and lower a particular weight. Simply put, these are repeating moves in slow motion. Lifting takes up a full 10 seconds, whereas lowering takes 4.5 seconds.

What's in it for you:
Though superslow strength training isn't considered better than other methods, it could be beneficial for you if you're the type who prefers varying your routines. On the upside, doing superslow strength training every once in a while works to keep your routine from lulling. Also, it could provide the kind of challenge your muscles need, albeit in a diversified way. If you want to try it out, you can do so without having to adopt a new exercise routine.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Regardless of your reason for undergoing weight training, it cannot be denied that food would play a significant role in your performance. Choosing the right foods is crucial if you want to improve the latter while keeping your health in check all the time. Here are the foods that you should never miss out on:

Dairy products that are low in fatLike red meats, opting for low-fat dairy products is essential for keeping your cholesterol level from spiking, which means greater susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases.

Lean meatsAlthough white meats like chicken and turkey are more preferable than red meats, they have less iron content. Nevertheless, both these meats are loaded with protein, which you need to ensure the success of your weight training course. At best, when purchasing meats, opt for cuts with as little fat as possible. In cooking them, trim off fat from red meats and take out the skin from poultry meats.

*If you can, skip eating processed meats altogether. Research studies have identified eating processed meats as one of the causes of having an increased risk of contracting colorectal cancer.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Do weight training to develop your muscles.Bulking up by adding more muscles is tantamount to raising your body's fat burning capacity while at rest. But it does not stop here. Consequentially, having more muscles does not only work to raise your RMR (resting metabolic rate), but it also increases your AMR (active metabolic rate). Thus, you get the benefits of continuous fat-burning whether your body is active or at rest.

Opt for heavier weights. With this, try reaching the hypertrophy range—range that allows for better muscle development. To do this, lift the heftiest weight you can manage before fatigue sets in given a low to medium scale of eight up to 12 RM (repetition maximum).

Try doing a high-intensity cardio workout.Even when done only once in a while, doing high intensity workouts increases your metabolism, hence, affording your body a heightened fat-burning capacity post-period. But as effective as these are, be forewarned: do not overdo them. Since weight loss and fat-burning are intended to be long-term goals, doing them often or every day could lead to physical burnout.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

The initial confusion that comes with starting weight training always leaves beginners in danger of suffering from physical injuries. Given that we've already selected a particular routine that best suits our goals, we must consider certain precautionary measures like the ones stipulated below:

We should always start with a good warm up.Warming our muscles by doing a 5-10 minute warm up with any aerobic activity intended for it preps our muscles for the harder work ahead. Since cold muscles are more prone to getting injured, warming them up greatly decreases our risk.

We must do each exercise in the right form. Being particular about performing each routine properly is an exercise in effectivity and safety at the same time. Whenever we're in proper form as we do each exercise, we're assured of having a little chance of encountering injury.

We must breathe properly while exercising.Holding our breaths, whether unconsciously or otherwise, risks raising our blood pressure. Dangerous as this is, most of us have the tendency to do this every time we lift weights. To prevent this, we must practice inhaling as we lift and exhale as soon as we have raised it to our desired level.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

You're aware that you're lifting weights on a regular basis. But with each session, have you ever been nagged by that all-too-annoying question of whether you're lifting enough weight or not? Unsurprisingly, you're not the only one with this problem. Many people are left in the dark when it comes to lifting weights. And more often than not, study has divulged that most of us don't lift enough of it to gain the maximum weight loss benefits. In fact, we hardly lift enough weight to encourage good muscle growth.

By now, you must already know the importance of losing fat in raising your metabolism. Without the former, it would be hard for your body to achieve the latter. Despite this, however, are you aware that muscle also plays an important role in helping our bodies lose fat? With10-20 calories burned for each pound of muscle, it stands to reason why doing strength training—lifting weights to develop more muscles—is a good, healthy way to achieve weight loss. Apart from this, strength training gives us these added benefits: increased metabolic rate, a leaner body, improved balance and stability, stronger bones and connective tissues, as well as improved self-confidence.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

In making our energy reserves, the body burns a combination of carbohydrates, fat, and glucose. With regards to the quantity of each, it all depends on our recent physical activities and food intake. But as a rule, whenever we use up more energy than what we get from the food and drinks we consume daily, our body would compensate by obtaining energy from stored fat, carbohydrates, and even protein. It does so on an automatic basis whether or not we exercise regularly.

Such is the process involved every time we starve ourselves: our bodies start to consume itself, figuratively speaking that is. Acting to keep your current weight, the body drops our metabolic rate. However, this relies on the following factors: our family history, genetics, and the manner whereby we eat and exercise. Although recognized, this innate tendency doesn't always apply to every one of us.

The main energy sources of our bodies are fat and glucose. Protein, which is also changed to glucose in the absence of carbs and during emergencies, is taken from beans, dairy products, and meats. As is its typical process, our bodies burn a combination of these nutrients for energy except during very high intensities.

Even though women produce testosterone, it doesn't suffice to make them acquire a bulky frame similar to that of men. Those women body builders whose bodies could hardly be differentiated from their male counterparts take synthetic testosterone in the form of anabolic steroids together with other drugs to help them achieve the same kind of muscle mass.

Myth 2: Cessation of weight training would cause muscles to turn into fat.

For starters, muscle and fat are differentiated tissues. Whenever someone stops dieting and slackens or stops with his weight training activities as well, the tendency is to lose the muscles. However, it never happens that muscles turn into fat. Actually, with the loss of muscles the accumulation of fat takes place.

Myth 3: Doing weight training transforms fat into muscle.

As previously mentioned, fat and muscle should never be confused because they're two different tissues. Doing aerobics and other exercise routines along with diet cause the body to shed fat. Muscle is then gained once weight training is taken up.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Knowledge of the basic weight training principles lets you know if you have chosen and are staying on the right track. And as you determine your program, it is imperative that you be aware of what these are:

When it comes to lifting weights, make sure that you only lift a substantial weight allowing you to perform all the required number of repetitions. Although you may have a hard time completing your last set of reps, you should still manage to do so in good form.

Avoiding plateaus, also called adaptations, is done by raising your intensity on a regular basis through the following methods: adding more amounts of weight lifted and changing reps, resistance level, and exercises. In terms of making changes, doing it either weekly or monthly is advisable.

Be particular on the purpose of your training. It's only in being specific that you're able to choose the best program or routine that best meets your goal.

Taking regular periods of rests is important in any workout regimen. Rest periods provide your muscles with the needed time to grow and change. Thus, it is vital that you do not workout the same muscle group for two consecutive days.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The benefits of a good message are more than just promoting overall relaxation. In maximizing your workout advantages, it has been proven as an excellent way of soothing those tired muscles. Beyond this, however, researches advocate its capacity to ease pain while improving your body's natural immune system.

Do it for a cause.

Joining cause-oriented programs requiring beneficial physical exertions like marathons or tree-planting programs work to benefit you in two distinctive ways: it motivates you and gives the similar benefits as that of a typical exercise routine. Check out your local national parks for volunteer opportunities to help out the environment. You could also sign up for special programs like tree planting or running marathons for charitable causes.

Cut back on gasoline expenses.

With the current economic difficulties prevailing, saving up on gasoline expenses by taking other more practical and physically beneficial means really goes a long way, especially where your health and finances are concerned. For trips to the nearby grocery, walk or ride a bike. Going up? Forget the elevator every once in a while and head for the stairs.

Using exercise equipment for getting a full cardiovascular workout isn't always the norm. For some people, pushing a mop/broom or jogging outdoors is more appealing than working out for 20 minutes on a treadmill. If you get a kick out of burning calories without using exercise equipment, consider these workouts:

Outdoor Calorie Burners

If you are a nature lover, doing your exercise outdoors works to effectively soothe your mind while burning calories. Other benefits of having a natural environment for your background are the fresh air, which invigorates your system, and natural sunlight, which helps burn fat. A few examples of outdoor workouts are jogging, hiking, brisk walking, biking, and swimming.

Personal Entertainment

Having fun while giving your body an effective cardiovascular workout is not far from possible. Indulging in physical activities like ballroom dancing, gardening, playing frisbee/pingpong, and horseback riding guarantee your absolute enjoyment as they provide an effective cardiovascular workout.

House Chores

House chores like mopping, mowing lawns, car washing, mopping, dusting, and floor polishing are typical physical activities guaranteeing not only a clean home, but also lots of calories burned. Just giving your entire home a vigorous cleaning suffices to burn 272 calories an hour.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Before you get started in any exercise program, take time to consider these pointers:

Start out slowly.

Getting started slowly is the best and safest way to go. Rushing things by doing too much too soon only opens you up for disappointment and painful physical injuries later on. Select activities that you are cozy with. Do things at your own pace and remember to keep your expectations realistic.

Try exercising as a group.

When it comes to exercising, the buddy system has been touted to be more effective than individual exercising. Regardless of which one you are more inclined to, exercising with someone has been proven to work much better in keeping up your motivation. You can do it as a pair or in small or large numbers. Either way, you still get the same benefits: a constant boost to your motivation and decreased chances of encountering frustration.

Don't let self-consciousness get in your way.

Despite your age, looks, or social status; the fact remains that you still need exercise to keep yourself physically and mentally fit. Forget about your self-consciousness. Once you get down to doing the routines, everyone's attention would be on his own individual performance.

You need exercise. But why can't you get around to sticking to a regular routine? To further convince you of the importance of exercising to your health, consider these explanations:

Your body needs it.

Discussing the many illnesses that could be prevented by regular exercise is like chanting a very long litany. Overall, the importance of exercising cannot be argued upon, especially where your physical health is concerned. It reduces your risks of contracting serious ailments like obesity, dementia, hypertension, colon cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.

Your mind needs it.

Exercising gives you a mental high because it causes the release of endorphins, natural mood enhancers that work to raise your energy while giving you that overall great feeling. Every time you exercise, your mind unleashes these powerful brain chemicals automatically. Thus, it comes as no surprise why mental health experts recommend it to their patients to help alleviate their mental condition.

Your confidence needs it.

Because exercising naturally trims excess fat as it keeps the weight off, the result would reflect on a better-looking physique. This automatically translates to an increased self-confidence. Getting this much needed self-image boost works wonders in helping you feel good about yourself.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Often, seniors are deterred from exercising due to the wrong belief that it could hurt them given the natural physical vulnerability that comes with aging. Nevertheless, despite the physical weakness brought by aging, moderate physical exercise stays a necessity to ensure the proper functioning of the body. To start with, seniors must choose the right kind of exercise that jives with their preference. Here are some suggestions:

YogaA popular form of exercise that effectively incorporates coordinated poses with proper breathing, yoga is adaptable to a variety of levels and differentiated physical demands. It helps develop the body's flexibility, endurance, and balance.

Tai ChiAn internal Chinese martial arts, Tai Chi is often practiced for health purposes. Its movements are known to benefit both the body and mind, developing its flexibility and balance.

Water sports/aerobicsPerforming sports activities or exercises in water has major advantages over those done on land. The water environment increases the body's resistance while prompting it to burn more calories without risk of injury due to the lower pressure on the joints.

WalkingThe best exercise for beginners, walking is a low-cost, easy, and effective exercise that anyone can do regardless of age or location.

Most senior citizens are wondering whether they could still pursue an exercise regimen given their ages. Lack of know-how, fear of injuries, health problems, and disabilities are just some of the setback factors. But regardless of aging, exercise remains as a prerequisite to maintaining good overall health. Below are three popular exercise myths concerning older people and the truth dispelling each:

Myth 1: Exercising is futile for it does nothing to affect the onset of aging.

Truth: Actually, regular exercise and strength training could help you feel younger and stronger. From a medical standpoint, it decreases the risk of Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer, obesity, and hypertension.

Myth 2: Exercise is only for naturally athletic people or those who have been into it ever since.

Truth: You don't have to perform strenuous exercise routines to begin with. Simple ones like moderate walking would suffice.

Myth 3: Exercising might lead to serious physical injuries.

Truth: Since exercise builds stamina, body strength, and balance while preventing loss of bone mass, the risk of physical injuries occurring during exercise is lowered. Also, there are different exercises specifically designed to prevent falls or other possible injuries, making them suitable for seniors.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Keeping yourself strong, in the literal or physical sense of the term, means empowering your body's muscles. As opposed to what most people think, having strong muscles is not just about a strongly built solid body. Particularly beneficial to people aged 50 and above, good strong muscles means opening yourself to a host of physical benefits stretching beyond having a firm physique. Know more about how strength training works to better your physical system on the whole by considering the facts below:

It works to help you effectively shed those excess pounds.Compared to fat tissue, muscle tissue burns calorie at a much faster rate.

Empowering your muscles is equivalent to empowering your heart.When you have strong muscles, your heart wouldn't have to work as hard since it requires less oxygen.

Strengthening your muscles leads to a reduction on the amount of stress incurred by your joints and back. Having strong muscles automatically lessens the pressure on your joints and back with every move involving them.

Strong muscles=A well-toned and definitely more attractive physique.Say goodbye to your bulging cellulite and sagging flabs and welcome a toned and more attractive body. Need I say more?

Keeping yourself strong, in the literal or physical sense of the term, means empowering your body's muscles. As opposed to what most people think, having strong muscles is not just about a strongly built solid body. Particularly beneficial to people aged 50 and above, good strong muscles means opening yourself to a host of physical benefits stretching beyond having a firm physique. Know more about how strength training works to better your physical system on the whole by considering the facts below:

It works to help you effectively shed those excess pounds.Compared to fat tissue, muscle tissue burns calorie at a much faster rate.

Empowering your muscles is equivalent to empowering your heart.When you have strong muscles, your heart wouldn't have to work as hard since it requires less oxygen.

Strengthening your muscles leads to a reduction on the amount of stress incurred by your joints and back. Having strong muscles automatically lessens the pressure on your joints and back with every move involving them.

Strong muscles=A well-toned and definitely more attractive physique.Say goodbye to your bulging cellulite and sagging flabs and welcome a toned and more attractive body. Need I say more?

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Of the many resolutions on your new year's resolutions list, acquiring a more active lifestyle would surely be included. With this comes the promise of exercising regularly to help you shed excess weight while keeping your physical system in tip-top shape.

However, not all forms of exercise can be good for you. Each kind is specifically targeted to address a specific area of your body under given health circumstances. So before you plunge in, consider these important pointers:

Get a thorough health checkup first. Specific health conditions demand specific exercise routines. To ascertain that your body is in perfect condition, consult with your doctor first. Also, it would be best to ask for his opinions or suggestions, so as to better ensure that you stay on the right track.

Don't rush. Like everything else, starting out slow to break in your body works best to prevent injuries. Doing so is a methodical way of gradually prepping your body for harder moves later on.

Get your workouts scheduled properly throughout the week. Regularity is the key to maintaining a good exercise routine. Similar to your other important appointments, scheduling your exercise throughout the week is imperative for your health's sake.